Instructions:Take 2 small bowls and place 2-3 tablespoons of water in each. Add 3-4 drops of food coloring (color 1) to one dish and 3-4 drops of food coloring (color 2) to the second dish . Scrunch the coffee filters up and place one in each dish so they are covered with the water. You can remove the filters right away for a light color or leave them in for a while for a darker color. Remove the coffee filters when ready and squeeze the excess coloring out over a sink. Lay the filters flat to dry on a paper towel.

When the filters are dry, take the center color and fold it in half to make a half circle. Fold again to make a quarter pie shape. Fold twice more so you have a narrow wedge. Cut a curve around the wedge 1/2 inch from the wide end. Repeat with the outer color except cut the curve right at the wide edge. This will give you large flower shape and a smaller flower shape.

Paint the skewer green and let dry.Center the small flower shape over the large flower shape. Poke the skewer through the center of the circles and slide the skewer all the way through leaving 1/2 inch in the flower. Twist the bottom 1/2 inch of the flower around the skewer and tape with clear tape to hold tight. Push the petals down adjusting them until you are happy with the way they look. Cut several leaves from the green construction paper and glue to the stem.

About the Author:Heidi Ott is owner of the Crafter's Community web site.Visit Crafter's Community to find hundreds of craft ideas, tutorials, and resources.

Before the cool weather sets in, enjoy the bounty of your herb, flower and vegetable gardens by giving a Summer Harvest Tea Party. Plan your theme around the garden, invite friends and family. Don't make it a formal affair, but rather a way to celebrate everyone's gardens and share produce, flowers, seeds and advice.

Harvesting and Using Summer Squash

Summer squash is one of my favorite vegetables. I love the yellow summer squash in particular. They should be harvested while still tender, when they have a "glossy" appearance and are still small. You will most likely need to harvest daily once they start to appear.